28 Jan 2019

CRISPR gene-edited monkeys cloned in China
New research out of China has confirmed the birth of five gene-edited monkey clones. Two recently published papers describe how a CRISPR-gene-edited long-tailed macaque has been successfully cloned, demonstrating the first time in the world a gene-edited monkey has been effectively cloned. It has been suggested that by editing this single gene the monkey would subsequently exhibit a variety of different symptoms, such as anxiety, depression and even schizophrenia-like behavior.

Facing populist assault, global elites regroup in Davos
For most of the past quarter century, the worldview symbolized by the World Economic Forum — of ever-freer world trade and closer ties between countries — had dominated. Then came a backlash from Americans and Europeans whose jobs were threatened by low-wage competition from countries like China and who felt alienated at home by wealth inequality and immigration. In 2016, U.S. voters elected Trump, who advocated restricting immigration and scaling back free trade, and the British chose to leave the EU.

Mild Earthquake in Northern Israel; Scientists Wonder When the Pre-Messiah Big One Will Hit
Rabbi Haim Shvili, a 20th-century Jewish mystic, described precisely how these earthquakes will play out. In “Cheshbonot HaGeula” (Accountings of the Redemption), Rabbi Shvili’s book of predictions concerning the Messiah published in 1935, he assessed that these earthquakes will come during the holiday of Sukkot, coinciding with the War of Gog and Magog. Rabbi Shvili noted that the seismic activity will specifically target Muslim and Christian sites, destroying pagan temples and monuments to foreign gods throughout Israel.

Human drug trials explore strange link between gum disease bacteria and Alzheimers
A provocative new study, published in the prestigious journal Science Advances, is suggesting the same bacteria responsible for gum disease is also the primary pathogenic cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Not only that, but a new drug developed to inhibit these bacterial toxins and treat Alzheimer’s is moving into major human clinical trials later this year

6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes Fiji island
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit near the Pacific island nation of Fiji just before 8:00 local time (2:30 am IST) on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said. Shortly after, the area felt another smaller tremor, which registered 5.2 magnitude.

Argentina RAT virus: Incurable disease kills 11 after spreading at party – WHO warning
A DEADLY virus has killed 11 people and infected several others after an outbreak in Argentina. The Hantavirus a disease carried by rats and other rodents is believed to have first broken out from a party in the village of Epuyén. There is no treatment, cure or vaccine for hantavirus infection, and the case-fatality rate can reach 35-50 percent.

Chicken-killing Newcastle disease spreads to Norco
The virulent Newcastle disease that has prompted 500,000 Southern California chickens to be euthanized has now been detected in a small flock of backyard chickens in Norco, the city announced Friday afternoon. Beside quarantining those birds, all feed stores in Norco have been quarantined and restricted from having birds on site, the city said.

Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Slovakia leaders to meet Netanyahu in Jerusalem
The leaders of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – the so-called Visegrad states – will meet in Israel in February for a summit that will bring Israel’s relations with these countries up a level. The Visegrad Group is considered the most right-wing of the countries making up the 28-state European Union, and is one of the sub-alliances that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is developing in the EU…

U.N. signs agreement with Qatar for one-time $20 million grant for Gaza
The United Nations and Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding Sunday night for a one-time grant of $20 million for humanitarian projects in Gaza, which the world body has in the past described as mired in a state of “constant humanitarian crisis.” The money is in addition to the close to $10 million distributed in Gaza over the weekend to 94,000 poor families. Each family received $100 in cash.

Brexit: May urged to secure backstop concessions from EU
Theresa May is being urged to secure changes from the EU to the Northern Irish backstop as part of her Brexit deal to get it past parliament. Ex-foreign secretary Boris Johnson says winning a “freedom clause” would be “unadulterated good Brexit news”. MPs on Tuesday will vote on a series of amendments to the PM’s plans that could shape the future direction of Brexit.

Venezuela crisis: White House ‘will respond to threats against diplomats’
The US has warned Venezuela that any threats against American diplomats or opposition leader Juan Guaidó will be met with “a significant response”. National Security Adviser John Bolton said any such “intimidation” would be “a grave assault on the rule of law”. His warning comes days after the US and more than 20 other countries recognised Mr Guaidó as interim president.

Border Patrol struggles with flood of sick migrants
Border Patrol agents have spent nearly 20,000 hours since October driving asylum seekers to and from hospitals for medical evaluations, according to newly released Department of Homeland Security data. Since Oct. 1, 2018, the Border Patrol, which works in rural areas between border crossings, has “seen an increase in the numbers of apprehended individuals requiring medical assistance.”

Netanyahu: Nasrallah left ’embarrassed’ by Israel destroying its tunnel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was left feeling “very embarrassed” following Israeli military’s “tremendous success” in Operation Northern Shield, which saw the army locate and destroy six sophisticated tunnels dug by the Lebanese based terror group into Israel.

Polar Vortex To Invade Midwest, Wind Chills May Exceed 50 Below Zero
States such as North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa are bracing for some of the coldest weather in years as we round out the month of January. Major cities, including Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago, could see historic levels of cold by Wednesday with daytime highs staying in the teens and 20s below zero.

GRAPHIC: Cartel Dumps Tortured Bodies Along Mexican Border City Highway
Gulf Cartel gunmen dumped the bodies of three victims along one of the highways in this border city. A large deployment of police forces responded to secure the crime scene. The violence comes at a time when rival factions of the Gulf Cartel continue their fight for control of the border region.

FINALLY: Republican Senate to dig into massive Obama-Clinton scandals that have been swept under the rug by the mediaSince taking over the House, Democrats have promised to open the investigation floodgates. If Donald Trump or anyone in his administration ever so much as misplaced a paper clip, you can be sure there would be hearings. When the Mueller probe reveals that there is no evidence of Russian collusion, they will start their own investigation, no doubt. Their main objective is to make sure Trump is not reelected, and in the meantime, they will do everything they can to make it impossible for him to govern. To them, that is called transparency and accountability.

Iran publicly hangs man on homosexuality chargesThe Islamic Republic of Iran publicly hanged a 31-year-old Iranian man after he was found guilty of charges related to violations of Iran’s anti-gay laws, according to the state-controlled Iranian Students’ News Agency.